Honestly, if you were a gaming fan in the mid-2000s, you probably remember the hype. LucasArts was promising the moon. We saw tech demos of "Euphoria" physics—Indy actually stumbling, grabbing ledges with realistic weight, and environments that shattered exactly how you’d expect. Then, the next-gen versions for PS3 and Xbox 360 just... vanished. In their place, we got Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings PS2 and its Nintendo cousins.
It felt like a consolation prize at the time. Most reviewers were pretty brutal about it. But looking back at it now? Especially with the game popping up on modern PS Plus services, there's more here than the critics let on. It’s a weird, scrappy little time capsule.
The Ghost of a Better Game
The development of this title is basically a tragedy in three acts. Act one: LucasArts partners with NaturalMotion and Pixelux. They show off mind-blowing tech where Indiana Jones reacts to the world using "Digital Molecular Matter." Act two: Development hell. The engines won’t talk to each other. Act three: The "real" game is cancelled.
LucasArts didn't want to walk away empty-handed, so they let Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M) finish the versions for "lesser" consoles. That’s why Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings PS2 feels so strange. It’s got the soul of a high-budget blockbuster trapped in the body of a budget title. You can still see the bones of that George Lucas-approved story, but the execution is definitely "late-era PS2."
The plot itself is actually solid Indy fare. It’s 1939. One year after The Last Crusade. Indy is looking for his old mentor, Charles Kingston, which leads him on a chase for the Staff of Moses. You’ve got Nazis (or "Germans" as the game often sanitizes them), a rival archaeologist named Magnus Völler, and a trip that spans from San Francisco to a zeppelin over the ocean. It feels like a movie. The problem is the game sometimes struggles to keep up with its own ambitions.
Why the PS2 Version is Actually the "Safe" Bet
If you’ve ever tried the Wii version, you know the pain. It was obsessed with motion controls. You had to waggle the remote to punch, flick the Nunchuk to whip—it was a nightmare for your wrists and your sanity.
The PS2 version? It just uses buttons.
It sounds like a small thing, but it changes everything. Playing Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings PS2 means you actually have reliable control over Indy. When you want to throw a punch, he throws a punch. When you want to use the whip to pull a chandelier down on a group of goons, the context-sensitive icons actually work.
Environmental Brawling
One thing this game actually does better than its predecessors, like Emperor's Tomb, is the "HotSet" system. Basically, the environments are littered with junk you can use.
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- Grab a bottle and smash it over a guard's head.
- Kick a table over for cover.
- Pull a lever to drop a piano.
- Toss a Nazi into a fountain.
It’s messy, sure. The animations are a bit stiff, and sometimes Indy feels like he’s walking through waist-deep molasses. But there’s a fun, improvisational flow to the combat that really captures the "making it up as I go" vibe of the movies.
What’s Different Between Versions?
You’d think the PS2 and PSP versions would be identical, right? Nope. They are surprisingly different games. While the Wii and PS2 share the "Sudan" levels, the PSP version has a completely unique level set in Panama (1922).
Here is the kicker that breaks most people's hearts: The PS2 version does NOT include Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. On the Wii, you could unlock the entire classic 1992 point-and-click adventure. On PS2? You get some concept art and maybe a few character skins. It’s a huge bummer. If you’re playing on a modern PS4 or PS5 via the classics catalog, you're still getting that "barebones" PS2 experience, albeit with trophies and a cleaner resolution.
The "No Jump" Controversy
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. In Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings PS2, Indiana Jones cannot jump.
Seriously. There is no jump button.
For an action-adventure game in 2009, that was a wild choice. If you need to cross a gap, you have to walk up to the edge and wait for a prompt to use your whip or hop across. It makes the game feel very linear. You aren't "exploring" as much as you are following a very specific, pre-determined path. If you grew up on Tomb Raider or Uncharted, this is going to feel incredibly restrictive.
But, if you treat it more like a cinematic brawler with light puzzle elements, it's easier to swallow. The puzzles aren't exactly The Witness level of complexity. It’s mostly "pull this lever, then stand on that pressure plate." It’s comfort food gaming.
The Visuals: A Mixed Bag
By 2009, the PS2 was ancient history. The PS3 had been out for years. Yet, for a system on its deathbed, the game looks... okay? Some of the lighting in the Istanbul caves is actually pretty atmospheric. The character model for Indy looks like Harrison Ford if you squint.
The frame rate is where the wheels fall off. When the screen gets busy with explosions and "Digital Molecular Matter" (what's left of it), the PS2 chugs. It’s not unplayable, but it’s definitely a reminder that this game was optimized for a console that was already at its limit.
Actionable Tips for New Players
If you’re picking this up for the first time in 2026, here’s how to actually enjoy it without throwing your controller:
- Abuse the "Glory Moves": These are finisher animations you can trigger when an enemy is low on health. Not only do they look cool, but they usually grant you health back. Since the game can be stingy with health packs, this is your lifeline.
- Look for the "Sparkles": The game uses a very subtle sparkle effect on objects you can interact with. If you're stuck in a room, stop looking for a door and start looking for a crate you can move or a rope you can cut.
- The Shooting Galleries: The gunplay isn't free-aim. It’s a cover-based system where Indy ducks behind a wall and you pop out to shoot. Treat these like a mini-game. Don't try to rush; just wait for the reload animations of the enemies.
- Emulate or Play on Modern Tech: If you can, play the version available on PS Plus. The "Rewind" feature is a godsend for the more annoying QTE (Quick Time Event) sections that can result in instant death.
Is It Worth It?
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings PS2 is a 6/10 game that Indy fans will probably treat like an 8/10. It’s flawed. It’s the product of a cancelled masterpiece. But it also has a great score, decent voice acting (though not Harrison Ford himself), and enough whip-cracking action to satisfy a weekend of nostalgia.
It’s the "lost" adventure. It’s not the one we were promised in 2005, but it’s the one we got. Sometimes, that’s enough to merit a playthrough.
Ready to start your hunt for the staff? Check your PS Plus "Classics Catalog" or dust off your old console. Just remember: it's not the years, honey, it's the mileage—and this game has plenty of both.
If you’re hunting for collectibles, keep a close eye on the "Fortune and Glory" menu; it tracks exactly how many artifacts you’ve missed in each level so you don't have to guess. Keep your whip ready and your expectations grounded.